LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Mink's Palace reaffirmed her love for Churchill Downs on Saturday night, holding off Tripolina by half a length under the lights to win the $200,000 Roxelana Stakes for female sprinters, the opening-night feature for this spring meet.
The Roxelana was the first of 22 stakes that will be run over the next week at Churchill Downs, culminating, of course, in the Kentucky Derby a week from today.
Mink's Palace ($10.06), trained by Eddie Kenneally for Summerhill Stables, has never missed the board in six starts at Churchill Downs, with four local wins. The Roxelana, her first outing since December, was also her first stakes win.
"She really loves this track," jockey Luis Saez said.
Mink's Palace broke from outside in the field of eight and had what Saez described as an "easy" trip, staying out of trouble throughout while never far off pacesetter Sandy Bottom. The filly was just a half-length back at the quarter pole, and about to edge by as the leader began to fade. Mink's Palace struck the lead in the stretch, and, with steady left-handed urging from Saez, held off the late surge of Tripolina. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to Harbor Springs in third.
The time for the six furlongs on the dirt track rated fast was 1:09.41.
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